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A Positional Checklist

#2

Hi, interesting blog, especially the first and third examples, but I have a question. Two if fact. Firstly, when should one pause and go through the checklist? Because for example in the first position after 13.O-O White finishes their plan, so should they reuse the checklist now? Or before, or later?

And what does one do in a symmetrical position like this one?

https://lichess.org/study/zyykyTTW/HeaN7bo4#21

The position is 0.0, White wants to develop pieces, and so do Black. The plan I chose 11... Bxf3–d5 is objectively just as good as putting the rook on c8 or playing h6 or doing anything else useful to the position. How should one make a choice in a position like this?

Hi, interesting blog, especially the first and third examples, but I have a question. Two if fact. Firstly, when should one pause and go through the checklist? Because for example in the first position after 13.O-O White finishes their plan, so should they reuse the checklist now? Or before, or later? And what does one do in a symmetrical position like this one? https://lichess.org/study/zyykyTTW/HeaN7bo4#21 The position is 0.0, White wants to develop pieces, and so do Black. The plan I chose 11... Bxf3–d5 is objectively just as good as putting the rook on c8 or playing h6 or doing anything else useful to the position. How should one make a choice in a position like this?
#3

I appreciate your enthusiasm, @CkickyCheck. First of all, congrats on your nice positional game. And yes, white needs to use the checklist again after 13. 0-0. The checklist can be utilised in positions where it is challenging to intuitively come up with a plan and identify sensible candidate moves. Even in tactical situations, while the question of the worst-placed piece might not apply, the other two questions remain relevant. However, players of your rating and above often possess strong intuition developed through consistent practice and analysis of grandmaster games, making the checklist unnecessary in every decision-making scenario. When I played the aforementioned games, I was unaware of the 3-question method, yet I made moves later justified by the method, relying on intuition. The checklist proves valuable when generating plans and candidates feel difficult, but when your intuitive ideas are effective and satisfactory, your intuition may have already addressed the three questions without conscious effort.

I appreciate your enthusiasm, @CkickyCheck. First of all, congrats on your nice positional game. And yes, white needs to use the checklist again after 13. 0-0. The checklist can be utilised in positions where it is challenging to intuitively come up with a plan and identify sensible candidate moves. Even in tactical situations, while the question of the worst-placed piece might not apply, the other two questions remain relevant. However, players of your rating and above often possess strong intuition developed through consistent practice and analysis of grandmaster games, making the checklist unnecessary in every decision-making scenario. When I played the aforementioned games, I was unaware of the 3-question method, yet I made moves later justified by the method, relying on intuition. The checklist proves valuable when generating plans and candidates feel difficult, but when your intuitive ideas are effective and satisfactory, your intuition may have already addressed the three questions without conscious effort.
#4

To answer your second question, let's analyse your position with the 3-question method. But first, as someone who plays the Caro-Kann and has faced the Two Knights system many times, my first instinct would also be Bxf3. So, analysis: white doesn't really have any static weaknesses. The knight on c4 is a little exposed to pawn attacks like d5 and b5, white does not have control over the central light squares, and the final move by white was a reaction to an improvement made by black (he removed his weakness of doubled pawns), meaning black has a slight initiative. Black's queen is not placed very well, and it should be doing much more than defending a pawn. If it moves off of the back rank, black's f8 rook can also be activated via Rc8 (since only the c-file is open, it is wiser to play for an advantage on the queen's side). White has ideas like Qb3 (attacking the weak b7 pawns) to connect the rooks and play on the queen's side. So, we have a slight initiative, a bad queen defending a pawn, and a race to the queen's side. Now we can identify the candidates:

Bxf3 to push the initiative
d5 to push the initiative, defend the weak pawn, and improve the queen to get queen's side play
Bg6 to gain control over the central light squares
Rc8 to get queen's side play and remain flexible (this does not relinquish the option to play Bg6 or Bxf3)

Now, d5 seems like a good move, but the issue is that it gives up control over the e5 square. So we first have to take white's pressure off of it. So, Bxf3 is certainly a good move. But here's the thing. This is not something white can stop on the next move (for example, in the first position I gave, black could have gone a6 on the next move to prevent Na4-NxB). So why not remain flexible? So for this reason, I think Rc8 is better, not showing my card yet. I might play for h6-Bg6 and preserve the bishop, or I might play Bxf3. Yes, I relinquish the initiative, but this is not a position with much tension, so having a slight initiative does not usually matter (for example, in your game, Qb6 was met with Qb3, and the initiative disappeared). Who knows? Maybe your opponent might dislike the idea of Bxf3 and play Nfd2, which would completely surrender the queen's side to you. I consider it a good way of playing for tricks--giving your opponent a chance to go wrong.

To answer your second question, let's analyse your position with the 3-question method. But first, as someone who plays the Caro-Kann and has faced the Two Knights system many times, my first instinct would also be Bxf3. So, analysis: white doesn't really have any static weaknesses. The knight on c4 is a little exposed to pawn attacks like d5 and b5, white does not have control over the central light squares, and the final move by white was a reaction to an improvement made by black (he removed his weakness of doubled pawns), meaning black has a slight initiative. Black's queen is not placed very well, and it should be doing much more than defending a pawn. If it moves off of the back rank, black's f8 rook can also be activated via Rc8 (since only the c-file is open, it is wiser to play for an advantage on the queen's side). White has ideas like Qb3 (attacking the weak b7 pawns) to connect the rooks and play on the queen's side. So, we have a slight initiative, a bad queen defending a pawn, and a race to the queen's side. Now we can identify the candidates: Bxf3 to push the initiative d5 to push the initiative, defend the weak pawn, and improve the queen to get queen's side play Bg6 to gain control over the central light squares Rc8 to get queen's side play and remain flexible (this does not relinquish the option to play Bg6 or Bxf3) Now, d5 seems like a good move, but the issue is that it gives up control over the e5 square. So we first have to take white's pressure off of it. So, Bxf3 is certainly a good move. But here's the thing. This is not something white can stop on the next move (for example, in the first position I gave, black could have gone a6 on the next move to prevent Na4-NxB). So why not remain flexible? So for this reason, I think Rc8 is better, not showing my card yet. I might play for h6-Bg6 and preserve the bishop, or I might play Bxf3. Yes, I relinquish the initiative, but this is not a position with much tension, so having a slight initiative does not usually matter (for example, in your game, Qb6 was met with Qb3, and the initiative disappeared). Who knows? Maybe your opponent might dislike the idea of Bxf3 and play Nfd2, which would completely surrender the queen's side to you. I consider it a good way of playing for tricks--giving your opponent a chance to go wrong.
#5

@felew699 Thank you so much for the breakdown of what would be your reasoning. I didn't really think about the position. I know in 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 c5 4.c3 cxd4 5.cxd4 Bf5 White's light-squared bishop is pretty bad, and 6.Qb3 can be met with 6... Qb6, where 7.Qxb6 axb6 only benefits me, open file and possibility to break on b4 AND control c5 square with the second b-pawn, so I went for a very similar position, just with less pieces.

I don't think Black has initiavitve, as you said Qb6 is met by Qb3, if anything White's position looks superior (for now) having more space and open queen, while ours is tied down (to defending d6) and restricted (b6, a4 are defended)

The plan with h6–Bg6 I don't get, because we have a good bishop looking at the queenside, but then d5 can be met by Ne5, and without d5 we can't support the bishop with the heavy pieces.

11... Rc8 is very interesting, I remember analyzing a very similar game with the same structure and the knight also on c4, where I went for the same Bxf3–d5, but engine showed that staying flexible was another good option, what I don't understand is what happens after 12. Qb3 or 12.Qa4 (maybe 12... a6 is strong), does inclusion of Rc8 and Qb3 benefit us? Because for me it looks like White has another easy move Rfc1 and we are stuck with the same dilema again.

Also this game was a little bit of a fluke, I'm pretty bad when it comes to positional chess (that's why I'm asking), here I was just very familiar with the position on move 12, got b6–a5–a4 for free and then moves were very simple to make, I didn't get a chance to think about how I want to break through, because my opponent took on c4 doing it for me.

@felew699 Thank you so much for the breakdown of what would be your reasoning. I didn't really think about the position. I know in 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 c5 4.c3 cxd4 5.cxd4 Bf5 White's light-squared bishop is pretty bad, and 6.Qb3 can be met with 6... Qb6, where 7.Qxb6 axb6 only benefits me, open file and possibility to break on b4 AND control c5 square with the second b-pawn, so I went for a very similar position, just with less pieces. I don't think Black has initiavitve, as you said Qb6 is met by Qb3, if anything White's position looks superior (for now) having more space and open queen, while ours is tied down (to defending d6) and restricted (b6, a4 are defended) The plan with h6–Bg6 I don't get, because we have a good bishop looking at the queenside, but then d5 can be met by Ne5, and without d5 we can't support the bishop with the heavy pieces. 11... Rc8 is very interesting, I remember analyzing a very similar game with the same structure and the knight also on c4, where I went for the same Bxf3–d5, but engine showed that staying flexible was another good option, what I don't understand is what happens after 12. Qb3 or 12.Qa4 (maybe 12... a6 is strong), does inclusion of Rc8 and Qb3 benefit us? Because for me it looks like White has another easy move Rfc1 and we are stuck with the same dilema again. Also this game was a little bit of a fluke, I'm pretty bad when it comes to positional chess (that's why I'm asking), here I was just very familiar with the position on move 12, got b6–a5–a4 for free and then moves were very simple to make, I didn't get a chance to think about how I want to break through, because my opponent took on c4 doing it for me.
#6

@CkickyCheck,
I actually think you are right to not think about the position here. Even if there was a difference between Bxf3 and Rc8, it wouldn't have much of an effect on the result. As a matter of fact, if white plays Qb3 after Rc8, I think we have some play after Bxf3 Bxf3 d5 Nd2 Qa5 (now that the knight is hanging after the inclusion of Rc8 Qb3) Rfd1 Rc7.

I agree with your comment on the initiative, because even though white was reacting to an improving move, black cannot keep on improving their position with forcing moves. So even if black had an initiative, it is very mild and will be liquidated quickly.

H6-Bg6 could certainly be a confusing idea because, as you mentioned, it is difficult to play d5 with the pressure on the e5 square. So I think we should relieve some pressure off of e5 and open the c-file before playing d5, possibly with the move Na5 at some point.

About this being a fluke, yeah it could have been. But it could also be a sign you know. You might have it in you to be a good positional player. A wise turtle once said, "There are no accidents". Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't

@CkickyCheck, I actually think you are right to not think about the position here. Even if there was a difference between Bxf3 and Rc8, it wouldn't have much of an effect on the result. As a matter of fact, if white plays Qb3 after Rc8, I think we have some play after Bxf3 Bxf3 d5 Nd2 Qa5 (now that the knight is hanging after the inclusion of Rc8 Qb3) Rfd1 Rc7. I agree with your comment on the initiative, because even though white was reacting to an improving move, black cannot keep on improving their position with forcing moves. So even if black had an initiative, it is very mild and will be liquidated quickly. H6-Bg6 could certainly be a confusing idea because, as you mentioned, it is difficult to play d5 with the pressure on the e5 square. So I think we should relieve some pressure off of e5 and open the c-file before playing d5, possibly with the move Na5 at some point. About this being a fluke, yeah it could have been. But it could also be a sign you know. You might have it in you to be a good positional player. A wise turtle once said, "There are no accidents". Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't
#7

Thanks for sharing these valuable insights. To break down Chess literature in a digestible format and share it with all in the community is appreciated.

Thanks for sharing these valuable insights. To break down Chess literature in a digestible format and share it with all in the community is appreciated.
#8

Instructive blog, thank you.

Instructive blog, thank you.